


Dead Roses and Other Unorthodox Flirting Methods

by hobbit_hedgehog



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, D&D Magic Systems, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Magic School, Necromancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-08-14 00:12:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16482410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hobbit_hedgehog/pseuds/hobbit_hedgehog
Summary: He had been prepping this experiment for months on the off-chance that it worked and he could use it to finally ask Koutarou out, but now… It was an experiment that required precision and delicacy.  He'd have to start over again.For 0rchiddart on tumblr as part of the 2018 Fantasy Haikyuu Exchange.





	Dead Roses and Other Unorthodox Flirting Methods

**Author's Note:**

> Hey folks, happy Halloween! I took a few days off from the Haikyuu Halloweek event because grad school's a thing, but this is for tumblr user 0rchiddart as a part of the 2018 Fantasy Exchange. I was given necromancer, and decided to do something a little different with it. I hope you all enjoy it, and have a spooky day today!

Tetsurou had gotten it right this time, he was sure of it.  The candles lit, all of the ingredients perfectly measured out, the chalk lines of the pentagram exact, and the test subject resting in the center; everything was in place and ready to go.  It was time to begin the ritual.  Crouching down, Tetsurou closed his eyes and clapped his hands together, his brow furrowed in concentration.  A shiver ran up his spine as the magic spread throughout his body.  Purple sparks danced around his fingertips as Tetsurou drew his hands apart, opening completely black eyes.  He lowered his hands to the pentagram, seconds away from activating it and bringing the test subject back to life. 

Unfortunately, fate had other plans.  The door slammed open, causing Tetsurou to nearly jump out of his skin.  The resulting rush of wind snuffed out the candles and blew some of the ingredients out of their tidy piles; the ritual was ruined.  Tetsurou stood and spun on his heel, ready to curse the intruder to a lifetime of death and resurrection.  He paused when he found Kei and Keiji leaning against the doorframe.

"Class is starting in five minutes," Keiji announced.

"I…. have been setting this up…. for months…." Tetsurou growled as he gestured to the ruined ritual.

"Not our fault you started right before class started," Kei said.  "What were you doing, anyway?"

"Necromancy experiment."

"I thought you passed your examination last year?" Kei asked.

"Only so that he'd stop experimenting," Keiji muttered.

Tetsurou scowled at the herbalist.  He kicked at a loose pile of ash before grabbing his bag.  He ushered the trio out of the doorway, following them out of the practice room and locking the door behind him.

"Come on," Tetsurou sighed. "Class is starting soon."

The couple fell in behind Tetsurou, their fingers intertwining as they walked.  He could tell they were at least a little apologetic for disrupting his ritual.  They hadn't meant it, but it still put Tetsurou behind.  He had been prepping this experiment for months on the off-chance that it worked and he could use it to finally ask Koutarou out, but now… It was an experiment that required precision and delicacy.  He'd have to start over again.

They turned into the main hall, mingling with other students as they made their way towards the classroom.  Outside of the classroom, Keiji grabbed Tetsurou's arm.  Tetsurou raised an eyebrow at him, ready to yank his elbow out of Keiji's grip.

"It'll only take a minute," Keiji said.

Kei glanced between the two before turning and walking inside.  Tetsurou allowed Keiji to guide him off to the side.  Once they were out of sight of the door, Keiji released Tetsurou's arm.  They eyed each other for a minute.  The tension was palpable enough that Tetsurou could have held it in his hands.  Finally, he spoke.

"Are you going to apologize, or-?"

"In due time," Keiji said.  "I wanted to ask what you were doing."

"I told you, it was a necromancy experiment," Tetsurou snapped.

"Yes, I know, but what were you trying to bring back?"

"Oh, you know.  Nunya."

Keiji scowled at Tetsurou.  "Just because that worked on Bokuto doesn't mean that's going to work on me, Kuroo."

"Look, Akaashi," Tetsurou sighed, "I was just trying to test something out.  It's not a big deal.  Now if you don't mind, we're going to be late for class."

Keiji opened his mouth, then apparently thought better of it and shook his head.  He turned on his heel and walked back to the classroom.  Tetsurou followed him, and the par walked inside the crowded lecture room as the bell rang.  Their teacher threw the pair a stern look as they scuttled to their seats; their heads bent low to avoid his gaze.  Kei and Koutarou were in their usual spots in the back row.  Bokuto waved at them, gesturing to the two empty seats on either side of him.  Tetsurou felt his stomach flutter at the wide grin on Koutarou's face; Koutarou was cute when he was excited.  They dropped into their seats, and their teacher began his lecture on summoning circles.  A few seconds later, a note dropped onto Tetsurou's desk.  Tetsurou glanced at Koutarou, who was looking between Tetsurou and the note expectantly.

_Not like you and Akaashi to be late_

Tetsurou rummaged through his bag until he found a writing stick.  He scrawled a response, and then shoved it back at Koutarou.

_He wanted to talk about a project of mine_

Koutarou's brow scrunched in confusion as he read the note.  Confusion was better than the usual response of weariness; Koutarou wasn’t a huge fan of the fact that Tetsurou had gone into the School of Necromancy instead of Transmutation like him and Keiji, or Abjuration like Kei.  But confusion was better.  Hopefully.  Tetsurou tried not to get too excited.  He scribbled something down and passed it back to Tetsurou.

_You're working on a project right now???_

_Side project not school related_

_?????_

_It's safe I promise_

_What is it???_

Tetsurou frowned.  He didn't like lying to Koutarou, but he didn't want to ruin the surprise.

_Can't tell you the details yet still working on it_

_:(_

_I need to run a few trials and then you can watch me work_

When Koutarou made a face at the note, Tetsurou took it back, scribbled another line, and then passed it back.

_I promise you'll like it_

_I bet I will_

"Kuroo, Bokuto!" their teacher snapped from the front of the classroom.  "Got something to share with the class?

They jumped, looking up with matching sheepish grins.

"Sorry sir."

The teacher let out a loud _harrumph_ before he returned his attention back to the chalkboard.  Keiji and Kei shook their heads, turning back to the lesson.  Tetsurou and Koutarou shared a quiet snicker, Tetsurou feeling a lot better about his experiment.  Koutarou said he'd probably like it.  There was hope after all. 

***

"So, are you going to tell anyone what you're doing?" came Keiji's voice from behind Tetsurou.

Tetsurou swore, dropping the candle and snuffing it out.  Classes had ended hours ago and everyone was at dinner.  Or rather, they were supposed to be.  Tetsurou thought he had been successful when he snuck away from the crowd to work more on his experiment, but apparently he wasn't as stealthy as he thought.  Also, he had forgotten to lock the door.  Rookie mistake.

"Akaashi, I swear I am going to hex you if you don't stop sneaking up on me!" Tetsurou growled as he picked up the candle again.  "How'd you manage to sneak away, anyway?"

"Kei," Keiji replied.  "He cast a concealment spell on me and I followed you."

"Using your boyfriend's abjuration magic to follow me is cheating, you know," Tetsurou grumbled.

"I didn't use his magic; I saw you leave and thought it'd be a good idea to follow you."

"Nosy."

"So, what's this experiment?" Keiji pressed.  He glanced around the room, taking in multiple broken flower pots and piles of dried out plants with soil caked roots on the floor.  "You have a lot of dead plants lying around here.  Just my expert opinion as an herbalist, gardening works better when the plants are, you know, alive."

"I'm working on plant necromancy," Tetsurou muttered, refusing to look at Keiji.

Keiji blinked.  "…So botanical magic?"

Tetsurou stared at Keiji.  Keiji stared at Tetsurou.

"Yes."

They returned to their staring contest.  Tetsurou blinked first.

"…So the magic that I can do?"

"I didn't want your help on this," Tetsurou said.  Tetsurou considered it a victory that Keiji looked mildly offended. 

"Why not?"

"Are you saying you would have helped me?" Tetsurou asked.

"Depends on what you're trying to do," Keiji said with a shrug.

Tetsurou crossed his arms.  He didn't really want to tell Keiji why.  It was a little silly, if he were being honest with himself.  But maybe Keiji could help.

"Koutarou doesn't like necromancy," Tetsurou began.  "It makes him uncomfortable.  I was trying to show him that necromancy's not just about bringing dead bodies back to life."

"By reviving a plant?"

"And using it to ask him out, yes."

Keiji pinched the bridge of his nose as he asked, "Is that what this is about?  You couldn't just ask him out like a normal person?"

"Necromancy's what I do," Tetsurou said, a touch defensive. 

Keiji lowered his hand to study Tetsurou.  After a moment, he said, "In this instance, yes, I would have helped you if you had asked.  But why didn't you?"

"I want Koutarou to be comfortable with all of me," Tetsurou sighed.  "Necromancy's important to me, but so is Koutarou.  I wanted to show him that I can make something he wouldn't be afraid of."

"Because of last year's skeleton incident?"

"That's part of it, yeah," Tetsurou admitted.  "But also because I wanted to do this for him.  He means the world to me, and I want to show him that."

Keiji nodded, his facial features soft.  It was the same way he looked at Kei when he thought others couldn't see.  Tetsurou had apparently struck a chord with him.

"Do you have notes lying around here somewhere?" Keiji asked.

Tetsurou handed him a piece of parchment from a nearby stack.  Keiji scanned the paper, eying the formulas that Tetsurou had written and rewritten for months.

"Your formula's off," Keiji said after a moment.  "You're using components that you would use for a human.  Try scaling back on some of these ingredients and add a little more water.  I'm sure you'll be able to perform human necromancy on a plant that way."

They ran through the experiment a dozen times, burning the candles to nubs as they tried again and again to make it work.  Attempt after attempt failed, each plant returning to life for a few seconds only to wilt and decay before their eyes.  After two hours, they were down to their last plant.  They had to make it work.

"Here goes nothing," Tetsurou muttered, clapping his hands together as he crouched next to the pentagram.

A soft lavender glow covered Tetsurou's hands.  He touched his hands to the pentagram, focusing all of his magical energies onto the dead orchid in the center.  The piles of ingredients caught fire, illuminated by purple flame that spread to the center, then dissipated.  The plant glowed lavender, growing upright as color returned to the wilted stem.  Tetsurou pulled his hands away from the pentagram.  Keiji leaned forward in anticipation.  All they could do was wait.

The lavender aura faded from the orchid.  A second passed, then another.  The plant didn't wilt.  Tetsurou jumped to his feet with a cheer.  Keiji joined in, clapping him on the back, and Tetsurou pulled Keiji into a hug.  They spun in a circle, laughing and cheering at Tetsurou's success.  They caught themselves after a moment.  They separated with a cough and watched the orchid.

"Congratulations, Kuroo," Keiji said.  "You successfully performed necromancy on a plant."

"Thanks, Keiji.  I couldn't have done it without you."

Keiji gave Tetsurou a small smile before turning to leave.  "You're welcome, Tetsurou."

***

A week later, Tetsurou led Koutarou into the practice room.  Koutarou had squeezed his eyes shut, despite Tetsurou telling him he didn't have to.

"You said it was a surprise," Koutarou pointed out as Tetsurou stopped him from walking into a table.  "Therefore, my eyes need to be closed until you're ready for me to open them."

"You're a goof,"  Tetsurou chuckled.

"You love it."

"More than you know," was what Tetsurou wanted to say out loud.  Instead, he busied himself with setting up the ingredients on the pentagram.  He had practiced a few more times until he was positive he'd gotten it right.  Today's plant of choice was a bouquet of dead roses.  He figured it was romantic enough.  If nothing else, it was a good aesthetic choice.

"Okay, Kou, open our eyes."

Koutarou opened his eyes.  He blinked a few times to adjust to the light, and then turned to the pentagram.

"Roses?" he asked.

Tetsurou inhaled, and then exhaled.  It was time.

"Kou, I've been trying to reconcile something for a while," Tetsurou began.  "You and necromancy.  I know that you're uncomfortable with what necromancy entails.  I see you wince every time I bring it up."

Koutarou gave Tetsurou a guilty look.  Tetsurou felt it tug on his heartstrings.

"I'm not trying to guilt trip you," Tetsurou explained.  "I... You're important to me, and I want you to be comfortable with all of me.  I want to show you that necromancy's not just about bringing bodies back to life.  I like you and I want to share this with you."

Before Koutarou could respond, Tetsurou dropped to one knee.  He clapped his hands together, and then pressed them to the pentagram.  Within seconds, the roses were alive, as red as they had been the day they had bloomed.  Koutarou gasped as Tetsurou got to his feet and presented Koutarou with the bouquet.

"Go out with me?" Tetsurou asked.

Koutarou looked at the flowers, then at Tetsurou.  Tetsurou could feel the anxiety eating away at his heart.  Koutarou took the bouquet from Tetsurou, placing them gently on a nearby table.  Tetsurou was about to ask Koutarou if it was a "no" when Koutarou grabbed him.  Tetsurou yelped as Koutarou dipped him and kissed him.

'This works,' was the only thought on Tetsurou's mind as he returned the kiss.

Koutarou broke the kiss, pulling Tetsurou upright.  He wrapped his arms around Tetsurou, squeezing him tight.

"You didn't have to do this for me."

"I know," Tetsurou whispered, "but I wanted to."

"Necromancy scares me," Koutarou admitted.  "I'm terrified of zombies, if I'm honest.  But I think I can make an exception if it involves you."

"Good, I'm glad."

They stood in place for a few minutes, locked in their embrace.  Finally Koutarou pulled away, a mischievous look in his eyes.

"So, would your plant necromancy work on grapes?"

Tetsurou raised an eyebrow.  "Grapes?"

"Yeah, you know.  You'd be raisin the dead."

Tetsurou felt his soul project itself onto the astral plane for a fleeting moment.  Koutarou flashed him the biggest shit-eating grin he'd ever seen.

"How long did it take you to come up with that one?"

"About three minutes."

Tetsurou rolled his eyes and pushed Koutarou back.  "You're lucky you're cute," he grumbled.

Laughing, Koutarou grabbed Tetsurou's arm, pulling him back in for another hug.  Tetsurou let him, sinking into Koutarou's arms with a contented sigh.  Really, he was the lucky one here.

**Author's Note:**

> I fucking love that "raisin the dead" joke and y'all can pry it from my cold, dead hands. Also, fuck D&D for putting plant magic into both the conjuration and the transmutation categories.


End file.
